Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsPrimetime EmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalFall TV GuideMost Anticipated This MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayTrending peopleCelebrity news
    IMDb LabsHelp centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
Back
  • Biography
  • Awards
  • Trivia
IMDbPro
Tex Ritter

Biography

Tex Ritter

Overview

  • Born
    January 12, 1905 · Murvaul, Texas, USA
  • Died
    January 2, 1974 · Nashville, Tennessee, USA (heart attack)
  • Birth name
    Woodward Maurice Ritter
  • Nickname
    • America's Most Beloved Cowboy
  • Height
    5′ 11″ (1.80 m)

Mini bio

  • Tex Ritter was born on January 12, 1905 in Murvaul, Texas, USA. He was an actor, known for Song of the Gringo (1936), High Noon (1952) and Varsity Blues (1999). He was married to Dorothy Fay. He died on January 2, 1974 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

Family

  • Spouse
      Dorothy Fay(June 14, 1941 - January 2, 1974) (his death, 2 children)
  • Children
      John Ritter
      Tom Ritter
  • Relatives
      Tyler Ritter(Grandchild)
      Carly Ritter(Grandchild)
      Noah Ritter(Grandchild)
      Jason Ritter(Grandchild)

Trivia

  • Singer, father of John Ritter.
  • He was the son of Martha Elizabeth (Matthews) and James Everett Ritter. His spouse, Dorothy Fay, was his leading lady in many of his western features.
  • Veteran character actor Morgan Woodward's uncle, Dr. S. A. Woodward, lived in the San Angelo, Texas area. One day, he was called to help in the birth of a male child. The family, not knowing what gender was expected, had not chosen a name, so in honor of the good doctor's service, they named him Woodward Ritter. Later, he would be known more widely as "Tex" Ritter.
  • Perhaps best remembered for his haunting vocalization of the theme song in High Noon (1952).
  • In 1970, he ran unsuccessfully in Tennessee for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.

Quotes

  • [Asked on "The Dick Cavett Show" if being named "Tex" had a negative effect on his unsuccessful run for the US Senate in Tennessee.] Well, Tennessee is the mother of Texas. We never have discovered who the father was.

Salaries

  • Hittin' the Trail (1937) - $2,400
  • Trouble in Texas (1937) - $2,400
  • Song of the Gringo (1936) - $2,400

Contribute to this page

Suggest an edit or add missing content
  • Learn more about contributing
Edit page

More from this person

  • View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro

More to explore

Recently viewed

You have no recently viewed pages
Get the IMDb app
Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
Follow IMDb on social
Get the IMDb app
For Android and iOS
Get the IMDb app
  • Help
  • Site Index
  • IMDbPro
  • Box Office Mojo
  • License IMDb Data
  • Press Room
  • Advertising
  • Jobs
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your Ads Privacy Choices
IMDb, an Amazon company

© 1990-2026 by IMDb.com, Inc.